Thor is a boy in his early teens who is embarrassed about his physical immaturity in contrast with his friends. His best friend, Christian, is more developed, but isn't happy about that, because he may well be gay. Two girls the pair know continue to instigate sexually charged encounters with the boys, about which they are ambivalent for these reasons.
The Nordic countries are known for its progressiveness, but this seems to have missed the fishing village that is the setting for "Heartstone". The characters are homophobic, and deeply anxious about sex in all its forms, which is why they constantly project their feelings onto each other.
You know this story is going to end in tragedy, as LGBT stories so often do, but "Heartstone" feels too real to be a cliché. The performances, particularly from the main character, are very impressive. I wish the character of Christian had come through a little stronger, though.
The Nordic countries are known for its progressiveness, but this seems to have missed the fishing village that is the setting for "Heartstone". The characters are homophobic, and deeply anxious about sex in all its forms, which is why they constantly project their feelings onto each other.
You know this story is going to end in tragedy, as LGBT stories so often do, but "Heartstone" feels too real to be a cliché. The performances, particularly from the main character, are very impressive. I wish the character of Christian had come through a little stronger, though.